How to Raise Pasture-Raised Cattle

Pasture-raised, or grass-finished beef as it is more commonly known, is becoming more popular and can be tender and flavorful if calves are managed properly. Traditional calves have gone to feed yards at 1 to 2 years of age and are fed high-grain rations for 5 to 8 months before harvesting. The grain adds marbling to meat that provides flavor and promotes tenderness.

Things You'll Need

  • English cattle breed
  • Livestock scales
  • High-intensity rotational grazing system
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Instructions

    • 1

      Use a medium-sized English breed such as Hereford, Angus or Shorthorn for grass fattening. These breeds have shown the ability to produce good quality grass-fed beef. Within one of these breeds, select breeding stock with genetics for producing offspring that finish well on grass.

    • 2

      Weigh calves at least once a month after weaning and plot their weight gain. An animal must gain 1.7 pounds per day to produce marbled meat or inter-muscular fat. Heifers marble on grass at about 14 to 15 months of age. Steers will not marble until they are 1 1/2 to 2 years old. These are the ages that grass-finished cattle should be ready for harvest.

    • 3

      Graze your pastures in a high-intensity rotational system. Put enough animals on a pasture so that the forage will be grazed evenly. Move the calves to another pasture when they reduce grass height by 50 percent. The cattle may need to be moved daily or every two to three days depending upon pasture size and forage type. This grazing system requires a large number of pastures, but it provides good quality forage that increases animal weight.